Protective garment

ABSTRACT

A protective environmental suit and helmet device having retaining means in the lower portion of the helmet and sealing means in the margin of a distensible neck portion of the suit adapted to engage over the retaining means on the helmet to provide a quick sealing of the suit to the helmet to protect the wearer from a hostile environment.

United States Patent Hill Sept. 5, 1972 [54] PROTECTIVE GARMENT3,3l0,8l1 3/1967 Iacono ..2/2 R 72 I t 1 R 8 In Do DeL 3,353,534 11/[967Savoie R l 1 or y 3,427,660 2/1969 Raschke ..2/4 [73] Assignee: [LCIndustries, Inc., Dover, Del. [22] Filed; Dem 10, 1969 PrimaryExaminer-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-George H. Krizmanich [21]Appl. No.: 883,962 Ano,ney Dona|d D. Demon s2 U.S. Cl. ..2/2.1 AABSTRACT [51] ELI Cl. A protective envircmmental i and h l device [58] dof Search having retaining means in the lower portion of the hel- 2/ l8H4 met and sealing means in the margin of a distensible neck portion ofthe suit adapted to engage over the [56] Rehmnces Cited retaining meanson the helmet to provide a quick seal- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing of thesuit to the helmet to protect the wearer f h ti] t. 3,081,459 3/1963Clark ..2/2.1 R mm a 08 e env'mnmen 2,394,078 2/1946 Krupp ..2I2.l R 21Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PHENTEBsEP s can SHEET 2 BF 3 mvsmon.

BY RQDNEY S. HILL PATENTEM 5'97! 3.688.314

sum 3 0f 3 INVENTOR.

PROTECTIVE GARMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention hereindescribed was made in the course of or under a contract with theDepartment of the Army.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to making of quick andsecure connections between adjacent detachable portions of a bodygarment, and more particularly to connections that can be made veryrapidly between a neck or collar portion of a body protective orenvironmental garment, and a helmet portion thereof, to produceeffective gastight sealing between the connected portions. Anenvironmental garment, as the term is used herein, relates to a bodycovering which encases all or part of the wearers body to giveprotection against undesirable contact with hostile elements in theexternal environment such as nerve gas, atomic fallout, or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art There are numerous devices by which aclosure can be made between adjacent parts or portions of body encasinggarments including connections of a neck portion of a body suit to ahelmet. While some of these provide a detachable connection between suchparts, there has been heretofore lacking in such devices a simplified,lightweight construction having a capability of at once making theconnection between the parts and providing for instant gas-tight sealingof the joint in a quick and simple manner so that the wearer can breatheambient air until it is required to fully seal the connection. Also, theprior art devices do not provide satisfactorily under difficultoperational conditions for establishing a gas-tight seal around selectedperipheral portions of the helmet and neck collar with the remainder ofthe seal quickly connectable and disconnectable so the wearer has a fullsupply of ambient breathing air until necessary to complete the sealingof the parts of the garment to be connected and provide a totaldisengagement of the parts to be connected whenever desired.

The present invention fills a long-felt need for a simplified,lightweight sealing means or device for sealing together portions of aprotective body garment, to give the freedom of full or partialgas-tight attachment or detachment between the portions to be connectedwith the capability for instant completing and sealing the connectionfrom a partially sealed condition in which the wearer has full breathingaccess to ambient air. Accordingly, this invention contemplates anenvironmental suit and helmet device forming a body covering garmentthat has a distensible sealing collar adapted to be quickly extendedover and tightly self-sealed to the edge of a protective helmet andmaintained in place by retaining means positioned on the collar. Thehelmet may be provided, advantageously, with retaining means in itslower edge for cooperative engagement of the retaining means in thecollar to provide for quickly hand locating and/r holding the margin ofthe collar in place connected around the lower edge of the helmet. Suchaction can be effected by quick hand distension of the collar so as toengage one retaining means over the other to provide the quickconnective sealing of the suit to the helmet which protects the weareragainst contact with whatever deleterious elements may be present in theexternal environment.

The respective retaining means on the collar and helmet may each be oneor more individual retaining means shelves or ledges protruding aroundthe rims thereof such as a first and a second retaining means ledgelocated respectively at a rear and a front edge on both the helmet andthe collar or neck shroud that is to be connected thereto. Where thehelmet has a protective shell that is the off-face portion and aslidable face shield for covering the face, a first retaining meansledge can extend along the edge of the helmet shell at the back and asecond such ledge along the lower edge of the face shield with sealingsurfaces for collar attachment above the ledges around the helmetperiphery. In the case of the collar, such individual ledges canincorporate a collar sealing means in the form of individual necksealing gaskets, such as a first and a second such sealing gasket ormeans respectively positioned around front and rear margin portions ofthe collar. The gaskets are adapted to be compressively engaged againstthe sealing surfaces on the helmet and make a gas impervious sealtherebetween. In some cases the collar sealing means can be provided asseparate from incorporation with the retaining means.

To produce the required tight sealing the neck sealing gaskets are madeadvantageously as elastomerically compressible and distensible lipsproviding for selectively extending the collar over the ledges on thehelmet and have sealing surfaces for sealing redially andcircumferentially against the helmet contours and in some cases axiallydown on the ledges thereof to produce the gas-tight sealing. The gasketscan with advantage be semi-circular or U-shaped and joined together attheir ends in separate planes angled one to the other to form the collarsealing means as a continuous ring-like lip protruded inward of thecollar upper margin so as to effect the desired sealing around the fullperiphery of the helmet or only a portion thereof.

Cooperative fastening means, which can be snaptype connectors, or thelike, can be provided in the margin of the neck sealing gasket at sidesand back of the collar and on the helmet lower edge for fixing theposition of the collar circumferentially on the helmet and provide fordistended holding of it fully sealed to the helmet around only a part ofits periphery when that is desired. Such fastening means, when engaged,can also provide for hinging the front portion of the collar to sides ofthe helmet disengaged from the front periphery thereof in readiness tobe distended or expanded up over helmet lower front edges when necessaryto complete a full peripheral sealing of the collar to the helmet.

In order that the collar sealing means may have the requisite easysealing the collar or neck portion can be distensible or stretchable inwhole or in part, for example, as by use of bias cut or elastic fabric,or advantageously can be provided with one or more elasticallystretchable gores or panels inserted in the collar margin and joinedinto a part of the collar means. This construction provides for thecollar to be hand grasped to stretch it over the helmet edges above theretaining means therein which effects the quick completion of thegas-tight sealing thereto.

One or more stretch preventing means such as a nonstretchable strap alsocan be advantageously provided around one or more portions of the collarand be connected to the helmet and span the stretchable panels, whenused, in order to hold or lock the seal between helmet and collaragainst being broken by accidental displacement of the connectedportions.

When the helmet shell and face shield have contours producing areas ofperipheral surface offset additional protruding seal means such asgasketing wedges can be associated with the collar sealing means forsealing in these areas to assure the gas impervious seal or connectionof the collar to the helmet. Such wedges can provide simultaneous radialand circumferential compressive sealing against angled surfaces such aswhere one or more surfaces to be sealed lie in planes nonnal to oneanother.

It will be appreciated that an assembly produced by the device of thisinvention provides an operationally effective garment connection whichcan be worn fully sealed or sealed only in part in readiness to form acomplete annular seal with its mating garment part, or the connectedparts can be disengaged partly or completely whenever the environmentchanges.

The above and further objects and advantages of the invention willbecome more apparent from attention to the annexed drawings anddescription of a preferred embodiment thereof which are presented asonly illustrative and not as limitative of the inventive conceptsherein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofa protective environmental suit and helmet device of this invention withthe helmet and collar portion of the suit sealed together around theirfull peripheral extent and locked against displacement by the stretchpreventing strap;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 showing theback part of the collar sealed to the helmet, the stretch preventingstrap unsnapped therefrom and the front part of the collar detached anddropped down from the helmet to permit normal breathing;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2 with the collarfully detached from the helmet;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the suit and helmet device sealedas in FIG. 1 partially broken away to show the front and rear necksealing gaskets sealing against the helmet and the stretch preventingstrap in its position when locking the front portion of the seal inplace;

FIG. 5 is a plan view from above of the collar showing the ring-likecollar sealing means with its sealing wedges with broken lines added toshow the position of the face shield, and the helmet shell and sealingstrip when the collar is sealed to the helmet;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the right-side half of the collar asseen from the inside, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view partly in section taken along line 7-7 ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the central left side ofthe collar circled in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view taken along line 9- 9 of FIG. 3showing a portion of a forward directed side edge of the helmet and theface shield sealing strip with the face shield in broken lines forclarity;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of an inside surface of thehelmet lower front edge taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9 with phantomlines added to show a portion of the collar sealing means in sealingposition; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the left side of thehelmet showing in dashed lines the relative position of the collar whensealed thereto.

DESCRIPTION In the drawings, a body covering garment or protectiveenvironmental suit and helmet device of this invention that incorporatesthe selective sealing between adjacent portions of the garment isindicated generally by the numeral 20. The garment includes a bodyencasing suit 22 having attached to it by means of sewing, cementing,heat sealing, or the like, a tubular neck portion or collar 24. Thecollar is adapted to be sealingly attached to an associated helmet 26that includes an off-face portion or protective shell 28 and a facecovering portion or face shield 30 that has side wings pivoted in thesides of the helmet so it can slide between retracted-up and loweredpositions. The construction of opposite left and right sides of thehelmet, its face shield and the collar of the suit are the same but inmirror opposite arrangement with the letter a generally used to denoteparts on the right side comparable to parts at the lett side.

A first ledge-like retaining means is provided around the lower sidesand back periphery of the helmet shell 28 by a neck or collar retainingledge or shelf 34 that protrudes from the surface of the shell and isavailable to support portions of the suit collar 24 in place when it isattached only around the back portion of the helmet. This shelf can alsocooperate with a lower flange 36 that forms a second ledge-like neck orcollar retaining means extending out from the lower edge of the faceshield 30 around front and forward sides of the helmet for retaining thesuit collar on front portions of the he]- met when the collar is to besealed thereto around its full periphery.

A rear neck sealing gasket 38 and a front neck sealing gasket 40,respectively forming first and second ledge-like and approximatelyU-shaped neck sealing means are oppositely arranged around the uppermargins of respective inner back and front parts of the collar 24 toprovide sealing means for making a gas-tight connection to the helmetouter surfaces. Each of these neck sealing gaskets is elasticallystretchable so the collar can be redially distended around its marginfor elastically sealing it against the helmet and are elastomericallysomewhat compressible to have good surface sealing characteristics. TheU-shaped neck sealing gaskets are disposed in planes forming an angle ofabout 40 with respect to the horizontal and have their respective rightand left ends connected together at each side to form a compressiblecontinuous ringlike gasket or collar sealing means 42 that borders thefree open end or rim of the collar. The rear and front neck sealinggaskets can be selectively hand attached to the helmet to make adetachable seal only along the back of the helmet by means of three setsof mating element snap fasteners 44 located at sides and back of thedevice, or the gaskets can make a seal between the full periphery of thecollar and helmet by action of a pair of elastically stretchable goresor panels 48 and 48a that are set into opposite front side margins ofthe collar 24. The panels provide for the front half or part of thecollar to be elastically distended or expanded outward to engage itsneck sealing gasket 40 over the face shield lower flange 36 for sealingthe collar elastically to the front of the helmet.

To supply the wearer with life support air when the collar 24 is fullysealed to the helmet, helmet shell 28 defines an air inlet aperture 50and has a hose connector 52 operatively connected thereto which isadapted to have attached to it an intake air hose 54. The air hose, inturn, operatively connects at its end not shown, with a source of air,also not shown, such as a respirator back-pack which can be handcontrolled by the wearer to supply breathing air into the helmet andsuit when needed with exhaust means for the air positioned in the frontof the collar.

It can be seen that the helmet shell 28 further defines a front edge 56that extends in use across the wearer's forehead and turns downward ateach side of the face where it presents substantially vertical forwarddirected side edges 58 and 58a at respective right and left sides of thehelmet. A face shield sealing strip 60 is cemented to the helmet shellalong the inner margin of the front edge 56 continuing along the edges58 and 58a and terminates at each end in an inward directed sealingstrip enlargement 62, each of which has a respective flat upper face 64.The sealing strip 60 is approximately rectangular with a V-shaped groove66 to provide greater elastic compressibility and sealing when the sidesof the groove are compressed one toward the other. Sealing strip 60 alsopresents a flat forward directed sealing strip edge 68 that borders theedge of the helmet and has a flat rear directed sealing strip edge 70for sealing against upper edges of the face shield.

In addition to its lower flange 36 face shield 30 has an upper flange.72 which extends outward from the surface of the shield along its outerupper edge and downward along the sides terminating at the shield loweredge. The upper flange, when the face shield is in its lowered position,makes sealing abutment against the rear directed edge 70 of the faceshield sealing strip 60 and when held in this position the bottom sideedges of the face shield also seal by abutment on the flat upper faces64 of the sealing strip enlargements 62. It will be seen that the endsof the lower flange 36, when the face shield is in its lowered position,terminates short of the forward directed side edges 58 and 58a of thehelmet shell producing a gap 74 therebetween which assists in the makingof a tight full peripheral seal.

it will be observed that the retaining shelf 34 is positioned above thelower edge of the helmet and constructed to taper progressively outwardfrom the surface thereof with its forward ends beginning at locationsnear forward left and right lower sides of the helmet shell. The shelfends are spaced slightly to the rear of front to rear midpoints on thehelmet and behind the forward directed side edges 58 and 58a so as notto protrude the shelf beyond the widest lateral dimension of the helmet.This construction provides a smooth unstepped helmet surface at itscenter side areas for easy sealing connection of the collar thereto andproduces a saving in helmet weight. From these locations the shelfextends around the back of the helmet where it is widest at its rearmidpoint providing a crescent-like flat upper directed collar retainingsurface. When the helmet is wom, shelf 34 is roughly horizontal with thehelmet surfaces above its retaining surface available for sealingengagement with the rear neck sealing gasket lositioned in the helmetshell above the shelf 34 are male elements 76 of the three sets ofmating element snap fasteners 44 for sealing the collar to the back halfor part of the helmet. One of these male elements is located on thecenter line of the helmet at the rear and the other two male elements onopposite sides of the shell at about its front to rear midpoints at thelocation of the pivot points in the wings of the face shield within theshell. This is just in front of the ends of the shelf 34 so all theelements 76 are in about horizontal parallel alignment with the shelfand about midway between its ends and the forward directed side edges ofthe shell. Also afiixed to the helmet are left and right male portions78 and 78a of an additional pair of sets of strap holding snapconnectors. These connector male portions are positioned on either sideof the helmet shell just above the forward located male elements 76 andprovide a pair of straps to be attached to the helmet to lock the frontof the collar against being stretched away from its seal to the helmet.

Turning, in greater detail, to the construction of the stretchable neckcollar 24 of suit 22, it can be seen that it has an approximatelycircular tube-like cross-section which terminates in a free upper edgethat is out high at the back to have a roughly horizontal rear upperedge portion engageable over the shelf 34 anda lower cut front collarpart that has a downward angled upper edge portion for fitting over thelower flange 36 on the face shield. The neck collar 24 has attached toit the collar sealing means 42 that provides the rear and front necksealing gaskets 38 and 40. Each of these has a thick shelf-like inwarddirected collar retaining lip 80 and 82 having a rectangularcross-section each defining a U-shaped or semi-circular vertical sealingsurface 84 and 86 for sealing the collar to the helmet surface aroundits respective half of the helmet periphery. As the ends of the necksealing gaskets are joined together the lips 80 and 82 provide thecollar sealing means 42 with a continuous ring-like vertical sealingsurface available to engage the helmet around its full periphery. Thecollar sealing means 42 has a thin depending annular skirt 88 from whichthe lips 80 and 82 are protruded inward and which provides for attachingthem to the fabric of the main body of the collar 24. It will beappreciated that this ring-like construction on the collar provides itwith a continuous inward directed lip which can be fitted over theledges on the helmet and retain the collar in position thereon withsealing between their adjacent corresponding surfaces. The collarsealing means 42 is a blend of gas impervious neoprene elastomers whichgives good compressive sealing against the helmet surfaces and alsoprovides the requisite elasticity without tearing during stretching anduse.

Collar sealing means 42 further has extended through its upper margin inthe neck sealing gasket 38 part of it three female elements 90 of thesets of mating element snap fasteners 44 for mating with the maleelements 76 that are affixed on the helmet shell as heretofore stated.When connected, these elements hold the compressive sealing engagementof collar 24 to the helmet at the back. The forward ones of the femaleelements 90 are located at the forward ends of the rear neck sealinggasket 38 and are spaced closer together than their corresponding maleelements 76. In this way distension of the rear portion of the collar 24to engage the mating snap fastener elements compresses the rear necksealing gasket 38 against the helmet surface shelf 34 and holds thegas-tight sealing when the front part of the collar is not in sealingposition at the front. With the collar snap fastened about sides andback of the helmet, the forward pair of snap fasteners also anchor therear ends of the front neck sealing gasket 40 at sides of the helmetshell for hinge-like collar action at the front. (See FIG. 2)

Just forward of the approximate midpoint of the sides of the neckportion the collar skirt 88 extends downwardly at either side in anarrowhead to form the stretchable panels 40 in V-shape or triangularform of the same two-way stretch elastomeric material that forms thesealing means 42 and its skirt 88. Each panel is roughly equilateral andset point down into a matching V-shaped or triangular notch in themargin of the fabric which forms the main body of collar 24. The panelsare positioned so their upper edges extend from each of the snapfasteners elements at the sides of the collar to well forward thereof.Thus, with the collar in its fully sealed position the panels extendforward of the ends of the lip-like lower flange 36 on the visor or faceshield, thus spanning the gaps 74. Also in this area, the front necksealing gasket is provided at its opposite sides with a pair ofintegrally formed inward directed sealing protuberances or wedges 94 and940. These give additional sealing engagement of this gasket radiallyagainst the surface of face shield 30 and in a front to rear orcircumferential direction against the forward directed side edges 58 and58a of the helmet shell 22 where the juncture of these parts fomis astepped contour to the helmet surface. The wedges 94 taper graduallyinward of the principal inner circumference of gasket 38 enlarginggradually towards the rear to just past the center of the stretchablepanels 40 where it terminates in a step having flat vertical and reardirected sealing surface 96. Left and right side wedges also have attheir rearward ends tapered downward directed tips 98 and 980 which insealing position fit into an associated gap 74 on the helmet andprovides the sealing surface 96 with a substantial area for abutmentagainst both the forward directed side edges 58 and 58a of the helmetand the forward directed sealing strip edge 68 due to the width of thestep. As will be appreciated, with the collar sealing means 42 in itssealing position on the helmet there will be an elastic hoop-like effectpressing the wedges 94 into tightened sealing engagement against theface shield and shell which effectively seals the collar to these partswhere they meet at the sides. This effect produces with the remainder ofthe collar sealing means the gas impervious circumferentially directedsealing at the sides and radially inward around the helmet. Also, as thewidth of the stretchable panels 40 decreases downwards they provide aprogressive diminishing in the stretch afforded to the collar from itsupper edge downward. The greater stretch of the top permits the collarto be sufficiently distended to engage the front neck sealing gasket 40over the face shield lower flange 36 by accommodating for the thicknessof the lip 82 and the wedges 94 while the lesser stretch below allowsfor the collar to have sufficient stiffness to remain in expandedtubular condition for comfort and easy neck movement of the wearer.

As heretofore indicated the material of the collar 24 is slightlydistensible largely due to the natural "give" of the fabric used andthis assists to provide compressive sealing of the rear neck sealinggasket 38 at the back of the collar to the helmet by the mating togetherof the respective elements of the snap fasteners 44 holding the seal inplace and maintaining the parts secured together at the back and sides.Major distensibility or stretch of the collar is provided, however, bythe elastically stretchable panels 40, and it will be appreciated thatthey can be of greater or lesser extent and can take a variety ofshapes.

For limiting the stretch around the front part of collar 24 a heavystretch preventing strap of nonstretch material such as webbing is sewnto the outer surface of the collar upper margin between the forwarddirected edges of the stretch panels 48 limiting any stretch to the areaof the elastic panels during placement of the collar front part over thelower flange on the face shield. The strap continues at each side, fromits attachment at the stretchable panels, in a pair of free strapextensions 102 and 102a at respective left and right side endsterminating in a reinforced bight, that provide pull tabs to disconnectthe strap. Snap connector female portions 104 and 104a are respectivelypositioned in the tabs and can be matingly engaged over thecorresponding male portions 78 and 78a positioned on sides of the helmetand behind the rear terminations of the stretchable panels 48. Whenengaged on the helmet strap 100 provides holding means to additionallysecure the front of the collar to the face shield and its extensionspress in against wedges 94 forcing them radially tightly against theface shield and also draw the wedge sealing surfaces 96 rearward intight abutment against the forward directed side edges 58 and 58atightening and locking the sealing in this area.

The invention provides a high degree of flexibility in operation and useagainst the possibility of wearer contamination from hostile elements ofthe external environment which can be seen particularly from FIGS. 1through 4. Thus, the wearer can, when there is only a slight or nopossibility of encountering such hostile elements, for example,radioactive particles or poison gas, wear the protective suit and helmetdevice 20 fully unconnected as in FIG. 3 with the face shield in loweredor down position as there shown, or in a retracted-up or off-the-faceposition, for breathing the atmosphere of the external environment. ifgreater caution is required the wearer with the suit and helmet donned,can reach up and engage the center rear set of snap fasteners 44 thusinitially positioning the collar rear sealing lip 80 against the helmetover its shelf 34 which begins a sealing of the back part of the collarto the rear of the helmet. The wearer then grasps the upper edge of thecollar and pulls forward on each side of the rear neck sealing gasket 38compressing it against sides and rear of the helmet. He then engages theforward sets of the snap fasteners 44 at respective opposite sides ofthe helmet which holds the seal of the rear neck sealing gasket, andthus the collar, to the back of the helmet. This sealing establishes adetachable gas impervious seal around approximately about the back ofthe helmet and the suit and positions the device as shown in FIG. 2 withthe wearer still able to breathe the external atmosphere and the devicein readiness to complete total sealing of the neck of the suit to thehelmet. lf, due to the presence of gas or other hostile environment, it

becomes necessary to quickly complete total sealing together of thehelmet and suit, starting from the partially sealed condition of FIG. 2,the wearer quickly grasps the front part of the collar by its free upperedge and lifts its hinge-like from its snap fastener anchoringconnection at the helmet sides. In the same action the wearer distendsthe collar front forward by the elasticity of the front neck sealinggasket 40 and the stretchable panels 48 and engages the lip 82 over theface shield lower flange 36. When the wearer releases the collar, itselastic portions retracts or draws its sealing gasket 40, and with itthe front part of the collar, for self-sealing against the outer surfaceof the face shield, and forces the wedges 94 into their sealingpositions as pointed out above which completes gas-tight sealingtogether of the peripheral edges of the collar 24 with the helmet 26.The wearer can then breathe life support air supplied through air hose54 as will be appreciated and can make largely unimpaired normal headmovements in either the partial or fully sealed condition of thegarment.

The strap extensions 102 and 102a can then be hand snapped to the helmetas stated above which prevents any stretching of the front part of thecollar away from the helmet so as not to become accidentally dislodgedfrom its seal therewith during activity by the wearer. The front portionof the complete seal is quickly disengageable in a reverse manner tothat described above, for example, by disconnecting the strap extensionsand distending the collar outward and hinging it downward at the frontto remove it from the face shield lower flange 36 which releases about50 percent of the seal. This reestablishes the partially unsealedconnection of FIG. 2 and by disconnecting of the snap fastener sets 44the seal can be completely disengaged for the condition of FIG. 3. Inextreme emergency the entire collar sealing means can be elasticallyengaged around the helmet and the snap fasteners connected thereafter,for sealing attachment followed by snap connecting.

It will be appreciated that the distension limit of the fabric of thecollar about its back or rear portion provides a stretch preventingmeans to maintain the sea] at the back locked against elasticdisplacement around the approximate 180 of are around the back of thehelmet by its pulling from side midpoints of the helmet in back to frontdirections. Also, the stretch prevention strap 100 provides a stretchpreventing means pulling from side midpoints in a front to backdirection against the front 180 of are around the helmet withoverlapping at the helmet sides of the end connections of these frontand back portion stretch preventing means so as to provide stretchprevention around the full periphery of the helmet.

It will also be appreciated that the ledge formed around the helmet bythe shelf 34 and the lower flange 36 can be made substantially completearound the helmet periphery by extension of their lengths and in somecases use of the wedges 94 on the collar can be dispensed with. Theshelf and lower flange also could be of somewhat lesser extend and/or beinterrupted along their length or be provided in various ways such as bychannels or other contouring. Also, the neck portion could be formedentirely of suitable elastically stretchable material to provide for thenecessary quick sealing with one or more stretch prevention means suchas separate or attached straps that can lock the seal around the helmet.Further, the retaining ledges on the collar in some cases may be ofshorter or interrupted length with sealing surfaces to make thegas-tight connection with the helmet provided separate from theretaining ledges. The helmet, which in the preferred embodiment is ofrigid hard surfaced and gas impervious material, is supportable on thewearer's head by a headband with webbing, attached to the helmet shell.

Various gas impervious materials may be used for providing the suit andits collar or neck portion such as by flexible rubberized woven fabricor the like with the helmet shell and face shield constructed ofsuitable metal or plastic materials and the fastening means andconnectors used can be metal spring-type snaps or in some cases may beother connectors such as Velcro, buckle-like connectors or othersuitable type attachment means. The collar sealing means 42 can beformed from any flexible suitably rubber-like material that provides thenecessary compressive quality for sealing to the helmet together withthe requisite combination of the ability to stretch without tearing.

it will be appreciated that the gas-tight sealing with this invention isproduced by engagement of the vertical sealing surfaces 84 and 86 on thecollar against the helmet outer surface. However, engagement over theshelf 34 and flange 36 by the flat surfaces of the undersides of thelips and 82 may in some cases also provide additional sealing assistedby the weight of the suit.

With the construction of this invention a significant saving in weightcan be made in a quick sealing suit and helmet by providing the helmetshell with a low profile as by a shortened nape portion and forming theledge thereon either horizontally or at an angle to the helmet loweredge. Also, the shell need not require a chin covering portion on it toeffect sealing of the suit to the helmet as the neck sealing gaskets canselectively seal respectively to the helmet shell periphery at a highlocation in the back and at an angle thereto low in the front on theface shield, with the sealing and locking being effected by separateopposite pulling of the sealing gaskets against the helmet surfacesalong two angularly disposed planes.

While presently preferred embodiments of this invention have beenillustrated and described it will be understood that their teachings canbe incorporated in whole or in part in many variations without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts contained herein.

I claim:

1. In a garment for protecting its wearer from the effects of a hostileenvironment, a body covering garment, said garment having a distensiblesealing neck collar having an edge opening adapted to extend over andtightly engage a sealing edge of a protective helmet to form a sealbetween said neck collar andsaid edge, said neck collar having greaterstretchability along said edge opening then below it; a first retainingmeans positioned in said neck collar adapted to releasably attached aportion of it to an edge of such helmet along an off-face portionthereof; and a second retaining means positioned in said neck collaradapted to releasably attach a portion of it to an edge of such helmetalong the face covering portion thereof whereby said neck collar alongits face covering portion can be dropped out of sealed engagement withsuch helmet.

2. The garment of claim 1 in which said distensible sealing neck collaris formed from rubber.

3. The garment of claim 1 in which said distensible sealing neck collaris formed from an impervious fabric.

4. The garment of claim 1 in which said distensible sealing neck collarhas at least one elastic insert positioned in the margin of said neckcollar to provide said distensibility.

5. The garment of claim 4 in which said elastic insert is gore-shapedwith the pointed part of the gore in the neck collar.

6. The garment of claim 5 in which a gore is positioned on each side ofsaid neck collar.

7. The garment of claim 1 in which said first and second retaining meansare projections positioned in a portion of the inner surface of saidneck collar adapted to engage outwardly extending mating ledgespositioned in an outer surface of a lower portion of a helmet.

8. The garment of claim 1 in which said neck collar in the area of saidfirst retaining means has fastening means adapted to engage matingfastening means on an off-face portion of a helmet to maintain thatportion of said neck collar in releasable fixed engagement with suchhelmet.

9. The garment of claim 8 in which said fastening means on said neckcollar are snap fasteners.

10. The garment of claim 8 in which the fastening means in said neckcollar portion are spaced so that said neck collar along the facecovering portion is distensible to make sealing contact with an edge ofsaid helmet when the fastening means are in fastened engagement.

11. The garment of claim 8 in which said neck collar has releasableholding means thereon for securing to an off-face portion of a helmet aportion of said neck collar that sealingly engages such helmet along theface covering portion thereof.

12. The garment of claim 11 in which said holding means are strapsattached to the outer periphery of the margin of said neck collar.

13. The garment of claim 12 in which said straps include snap fasteners.

14. The garment of claim 1 in which said neck collar having therein saidfirst retaining means is substantially horizontal and said neck collarhaving said second retaining means therein is adapted to be angleddownwardly therefrom.

15. The garment of claim 1 in which said body covering garment hasventilation means therein for sustaining the wearer in a hostileenvironment when said neck collar is in sealing engagement with an edgeof a helmet.

16. A suit for protecting its wearer from the effects of a hostileenvironment, comprising: a body covering garment having a protectivehelmet sealingly engaged therewith, said garment having a distensiblesealing neck collar extending over and tightly engaging a sealing edgeof said protective helmet, said neck collar having greaterstretchability along said edge then below it; a first collar retainingmeans positioned in the back and side portions of said neck collar; asecond collar retaining means positioned in the front portion of saidneck collar; said helmet having a face covering portion there'n, andhavinga first retaining means engaging Sald irst collar retalnmg means me back an side portions of said neck collar and a second retaining meansengaging said second collar retaining means in the front portion of saidneck collar; first fastening means in the side and back portion of saidneck collar; second fastening means in said side and back portions ofsaid helmet lockingly engaging with said first fastening means to retainthe side and back portion of said neck collar in sealing engagement withside and back edges of said helmet; and securing means attached to thefront portion of said neck collar having means therein for releasablyattaching to said helmet to maintain the front portion of said neckcollar in sealing engagement with the face covering portion of saidhelmet.

17. The protective suit of claim 16 in which said distensible sealingneck collar has stretchable gorcs providing said stretchability therein,one gore on each side of said neck collar, whereby removal of said frontportion of said neck collar from engagement with the edge of said visorpermits the front portion of said neck collar to drop away from saidface covering portion of said helmet.

18. The protective suit of claim 16 in which said fastening means arepositioned at the back and sides of the outer surface of said helmet.

19. The protective suit of claim 16 in which said face covering portionof said helmet is a visor that is movable to expose the face of thewearer when said second retaining means is released from sealingengagement with said visor.

20. The protective suit of claim 16 in which said face covering portionof said helmet is a visor which is retractable and is in sealingengagement with said he]- met and said neck collar when in face coveringposition with said second retaining means engaging said visor along theedge of the face covering portion thereof.

21. The protective suit of claim 16 in which said neck collar has asubstantially horizontal portion having therein said first collarretaining means and has a portion adapted to be angled downwardlytherefrom having therein said second collar retaining means.

1. In a garment for protecting its wearer from the effects of a hostileenvironment, a body covering garment, said garment having a distensiblesealing neck collar having an edge opening adapted to extend over andtightly engage a sealing edge of a protective helmet to form a sealbetween said neck collar and said edge, said neck collar having greaterstretchability along said edge opening then below it; a first retainingmeans positioned in said neck collar adapted to releasably attached aportion of it to an edge of such helmet along an off-face portionthereof; and a second retaining means positioned in said neck collaradapted to releasably attach a portion of it to an edge of such helmetalong the face covering portion thereof whereby said neck collar alongits face covering portion can be dropped out of sealed engagement withsuch helmet.
 2. The garment of claim 1 in which said distensible sealingneck collar is formed from rubber.
 3. The garment of claim 1 in whichsaid distensible sealing neck collar is formed from an imperviousfabric.
 4. The garment of claim 1 in which said distensible sealing neckcollar has at least one elastic insert positioned in the margin of saidneck collar to provide said distensibility.
 5. The garment of claim 4 inwhich said elastic insert is gore-shaped with the pointed part of thegore in the neck collar.
 6. The garment of claim 5 in which a gore ispositioned on each sidE of said neck collar.
 7. The garment of claim 1in which said first and second retaining means are projectionspositioned in a portion of the inner surface of said neck collar adaptedto engage outwardly extending mating ledges positioned in an outersurface of a lower portion of a helmet.
 8. The garment of claim 1 inwhich said neck collar in the area of said first retaining means hasfastening means adapted to engage mating fastening means on an off-faceportion of a helmet to maintain that portion of said neck collar inreleasable fixed engagement with such helmet.
 9. The garment of claim 8in which said fastening means on said neck collar are snap fasteners.10. The garment of claim 8 in which the fastening means in said neckcollar portion are spaced so that said neck collar along the facecovering portion is distensible to make sealing contact with an edge ofsaid helmet when the fastening means are in fastened engagement.
 11. Thegarment of claim 8 in which said neck collar has releasable holdingmeans thereon for securing to an off-face portion of a helmet a portionof said neck collar that sealingly engages such helmet along the facecovering portion thereof.
 12. The garment of claim 11 in which saidholding means are straps attached to the outer periphery of the marginof said neck collar.
 13. The garment of claim 12 in which said strapsinclude snap fasteners.
 14. The garment of claim 1 in which said neckcollar having therein said first retaining means is substantiallyhorizontal and said neck collar having said second retaining meanstherein is adapted to be angled downwardly therefrom.
 15. The garment ofclaim 1 in which said body covering garment has ventilation meanstherein for sustaining the wearer in a hostile environment when saidneck collar is in sealing engagement with an edge of a helmet.
 16. Asuit for protecting its wearer from the effects of a hostileenvironment, comprising: a body covering garment having a protectivehelmet sealingly engaged therewith, said garment having a distensiblesealing neck collar extending over and tightly engaging a sealing edgeof said protective helmet, said neck collar having greaterstretchability along said edge then below it; a first collar retainingmeans positioned in the back and side portions of said neck collar; asecond collar retaining means positioned in the front portion of saidneck collar; said helmet having a face covering portion therein, andhaving a first retaining means engaging said first collar retainingmeans in the back and side portions of said neck collar and a secondretaining means engaging said second collar retaining means in the frontportion of said neck collar; first fastening means in the side and backportion of said neck collar; second fastening means in said side andback portions of said helmet lockingly engaging with said firstfastening means to retain the side and back portion of said neck collarin sealing engagement with side and back edges of said helmet; andsecuring means attached to the front portion of said neck collar havingmeans therein for releasably attaching to said helmet to maintain thefront portion of said neck collar in sealing engagement with the facecovering portion of said helmet.
 17. The protective suit of claim 16 inwhich said distensible sealing neck collar has stretchable goresproviding said stretchability therein, one gore on each side of saidneck collar, whereby removal of said front portion of said neck collarfrom engagement with the edge of said visor permits the front portion ofsaid neck collar to drop away from said face covering portion of saidhelmet.
 18. The protective suit of claim 16 in which said fasteningmeans are positioned at the back and sides of the outer surface of saidhelmet.
 19. The protective suit of claim 16 in which said face coveringportion of said helmet is a visor that is movable to expose the face ofthe wearer when said second retaining means is released from sealingengagement with said visor.
 20. The protective suit of claim 16 in whichsaid face covering portion of said helmet is a visor which isretractable and is in sealing engagement with said helmet and said neckcollar when in face covering position with said second retaining meansengaging said visor along the edge of the face covering portion thereof.21. The protective suit of claim 16 in which said neck collar has asubstantially horizontal portion having therein said first collarretaining means and has a portion adapted to be angled downwardlytherefrom having therein said second collar retaining means.